Is it just me or does the cycle of so-called trends get more and more predictable every season?

On seeing a page of ’50s frocks in December’s Harpers Bazaar, my boyfriend D asked me if we were about to experience a ’50s revival. I replied that I thought that was impossible, as the last fifties revival hadn’t finished running its course yet. We still have ballet pumps, wide belts and prom dresses although agreed, there is some mileage left in Winehouse-inspired beehive hair-dos and check shirts. What could be next, kitten heels?

Looking at the January Harpers Bazaar, the trend round-up left me cold. Florals, Safari, Transparency, Brights, Prints, …um sorry, but weren’t these the ‘new’ trends last summer? As a fashion editor, it pains me to have to write about these trends as if we’ve never seen them before – our readers aren’t blind or stupid! One trend I have noticed is the fashion-hybrid trend. Susie Bubble mentions this here* in her post about the new acid-hued Dr Marten boots which she would love to see paired with neon-bright floral frocks. Genius! Let’s call it acid-grunge. Like everything else, hybrid trends aren’t that new of course, I’ve been adding ‘Luxe’ to many a trend to give them a new spin. ‘Sport-Luxe’ was a big one for Spring 07 (silk tracksuits and satin parkas a la Marni) while ‘Pop-luxe’ was a micro-trend for Autumn-Winter 07 but didn’t make it big so can probably be strung out for another season. This spring will be the turn of ‘Utility-Luxe’ – translation: boiler suits and silk cargo pants zhuzhed up with heels.

Aside from these, precious few trends are stirring my creativity. The ones that are: Paint splatter/brush stroke prints at Chloe and Dolce & Gabbana, Stars at Chanel and YSL, Pyjama dressing at Prada and Chloe, and Grey Gardens/Topsy-turvy styling at Marc Jacobs.

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19 Comments

discothequechic4 January, 2008 @ 3:07 pm

It’s true, I always feel a little pained upon opening each season’s “fashion reports” free with the glossies.

This is partly because the name of trends seem to become more and more obsurd and partly because of my great, great hatred for trends such as “Nautical” and “Safari” which have become to ultimate fashion cliches, and sadly, seem to be trends relied upon by the uninspired Eds who don’t even feel the need to give them a new twist. Striped sweater? Check. Red Shorts? Check. Rope necklace? Check..

It makes one wish to excitedly splash “Yesterday’s Looks Today!” across a magazine cover, which would of course make the reader get excited about vintage, only to find that it was truly yesterday’s star, stripe, bar, check, plaid, flower, ratty hair.

Makes one long for a good, old-fashioned beast-fur collection. In acid tones, of course.

I think it’s best to just assume there’s nothing new under the sun and take trends as “what we feeling like wearing now” rather than “this is history in the making, people”! Fashion changes faster than it used to, in part because people have have so much more information on it than they used to. Sometimes I think the people who follow it closely, like us blogging types, expect too much from it 2-4 times a year.

Spot on! I was just feeling depressed by the January magazines I finally got down to reading. I never get all the tedious “runway reports” – anyone can lump a bunch of flowery dresses and declare “FLORALS” – it feels a bit lazy.

If I’m not mistaken, the 50s trend has been around since 2004, with a short break in 2006. So the ‘newness’ of it all mystifies me- it’s like The Emperor’s New Clothes Trends sometimes. But I do like the paint splatter trend, though it’s a lot posher than what I manage with a brush and fabric paint. And Grey Gardens will always be a great reference, even if some shoots botch the execution.

It seems to me like a lot of trends are just random predictions that rarely come true, or completely generalized things that can be applied to anything, much like horoscopes. For example: “Colors are in this season!” “This is the year of the dress/ skirt/ blouse!”

I know what you mean! Yesterday I was flicking through the Vogue catwalk report and was just totally unimpressed – ‘not safari again!!!’ Your trend picks are cool though, I love the arty trend too, those dolce and gabbana dresses were fabulous.

I agree there are really very few new trends just the same ones that keep coming round. Perhaps it is true that any trends for the season will be a highly generalised as there are so many designers and collections. Perhaps we need to look at the collections in new ways?

At least it saves some money if we can wear last seasons clothes again!

I agree, but in a way it’s a good way to pick up items from a specific trend you like, because it keeps coming back, if you miss out getting an item this time, sometime down the road you’ll probably have the option to try again.

I’ve definitely been noticing more “trend predicting” of trends that were just predicted a few seasons ago. Good example, bright colors. All the magazines I’ve been reading say the same thing about bright colors “making a comeback”. Correct me if I’m wrong but haven’t they been big for only about a million seasons now? Bright colors with black, bright colors as embellishment, brights colors with other bright colors, neons, and so on.

I like the trends you find inspiring though! Especially the paint splatter prints. I’ve been trying to think of a way to DIY without looking like a failed attempt at an art project.

Sometimes I don’t understand how magazines differentiate when trends are IN and OUT and whatever. Personally, Jackson Pollack paint splatters are so hot, and I’m so surprised those masochistic boys at D&G created such loveliness.

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